This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

story

"They arrived at one of London's finest jewellers in a chauffeur-driven Bentley, looking every inch a pair of well-heeled shoppers.

But once inside, the two smartly dressed, middle-aged men - one wearing a distinctive Panama hat - threatened staff at gunpoint and made off with a multi-million-pound haul of more than 100 pieces.

The pair were allowed into the Sloane Street store by a security guard who believed they were genuine customers after they pulled up outside in a dark-blue Bentley Continental Flying Spur worth £118,000."

the robbers:

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/5...228x351xv0.jpg



some of the bling:

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/9...468x181ol2.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1...468x274qw4.jpg


According to the press, over $20 Million in jewels were stolen. Who says crime doesn't pay?

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

http://goldtoothgrill.com/nelly.jpg

rob the jewelry store and tell em make me a grill

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

Robber definitely had a Pierce Brosnan obsession.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

Was CTS the driver???

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

this can't be the best picture off of the security cameras!?!?

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

I just watched snatch yesterday. this is what the story reminds me of.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

From what I read in the paper, that jewellers has been robbed many many times in the last two decades. This wasn't even the biggest raid. Their insurance must be enormous.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

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But once inside, the two smartly dressed, middle-aged men - one wearing a distinctive Panama hat

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This writer is obviously racist against Panamanians. Otherwise, why would he include this irrelavant detail?

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

nh

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

how did they not get the license plate # on the car

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

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how did they not get the license plate # on the car

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It was a hired car that came with a driver. They walked away on foot afterwards. So obviously they will look into who hired it, what addresses they left, how they paid etc.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

brilliant!

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

[ QUOTE ]
From what I read in the paper, that jewellers has been robbed many many times in the last two decades. This wasn't even the biggest raid. Their margin must be enormous.

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FYP

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

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From what I read in the paper, that jewellers has been robbed many many times in the last two decades. This wasn't even the biggest raid. Their margin must be enormous.

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FYP

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That's what I was thinking, too.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

Best part, they used silver-plated handguns. These guys have style.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

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Best part, they used silver-plated handguns. These guys have style.

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lol

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

Seems like all the huge robberies happen in London/UK. I was doing some reading and it seems to be the case. But there were also two huge robberies in Iraq in the last few years, 1B and 282 mil.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

London is the most heavily CCTV'd city on earth. So they will have been filmed by so many CCTV cameras. If they take a bus or tube train away, they will have been filmed. If they walked down any shopping street they'll have been filmed; a lot of residential blocks also have cameras. It's no good having a nearby safehouse - too traceable. Any cars leaving or entering the city have their number plates photographed and processed by digital plate recognition cameras.

I suppose the robbers would arrange a meet-point in somewhere like Hyde Park, hand the goods over to their accomplices who are "clean", i.e. not on CCTV or traceable by the police, and then get the plane out of the country.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

anyone know anything about jewelry? how would you fence something like that? would they be breaking down each peice of jewelry into individual stones, or what? Are diamonds like that marked in anway?

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

My guess is you find buyers that don't care that they're stolen.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

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anyone know anything about jewelry? how would you fence something like that? would they be breaking down each peice of jewelry into individual stones, or what? Are diamonds like that marked in anway?

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Diamonds can definitely be marked.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
anyone know anything about jewelry? how would you fence something like that? would they be breaking down each peice of jewelry into individual stones, or what? Are diamonds like that marked in anway?

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Diamonds can definitely be marked.

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how? you have an resources on gems/diamonds? markings etc? this is one area Ive always had a slight interest in and wouldnt mind doing some reading.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

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this is one area Ive always had a slight interest in and wouldnt mind doing some reading.

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robbing jewelry stores?

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

lasers

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

Re-cut and re-mark the diamonds to fence them.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

guids,

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Laser Scribed Diamonds

What exactly is a laser scribed diamond? A laser scribed diamond can be confirmed by using a 10x's loupe and louping the girdle of the diamond. The girdle of a diamond is the edge of the diamond (between the crown and pavillion).

Laser scribing is a way in which to protect both the seller and buyer in the transfer of a large diamond (two carats and up). A diamond can be laser scribed - if size permits. Some buyers will laser scribe a message into the girdle of the diamond such as "I Love You" or "Happy Anniversary". In addition, the name of the receiver may also be inscribed before the personalized message.

In other cases, the laser scribe is a series of letters followed by numbers. The letters may represent the initials of the diamond cutter or firm (which originally cut the diamond) and the numbers may represent a unique inventory control and/or identification number assigned to that specific diamond.

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Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

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this is one area Ive always had a slight interest in and wouldnt mind doing some reading.

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robbing jewelry stores?

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ldo

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
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anyone know anything about jewelry? how would you fence something like that? would they be breaking down each peice of jewelry into individual stones, or what? Are diamonds like that marked in anway?

[/ QUOTE ]

Diamonds can definitely be marked.

[/ QUOTE ]

how? you have an resources on gems/diamonds? markings etc? this is one area Ive always had a slight interest in and wouldnt mind doing some reading.

[/ QUOTE ]

I asked my gf first because she's a jewelry maker/artist. She just confirmed that it was possible. I didn't want to bother her a bunch about it so I googled 'marking diamonds for security' and found some cool stuff. I also checked out fencing jewelry and found some other interesting stuff.

Just from hanging around her for so long and going to tradeshows etc. I've seen what a sleazy biz it can be. It seems like a pretty new technology and there have to be just tons of unmarked stuff. I think jewel thiefs are going to be in business for awhile LOL.

Have you read the book Confessions of a Master Jewel Thief? Awesome book.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

no, thats one that Ive been meaning to order for teh last couple of years, will do so now.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

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Was CTS the driver???

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prolly

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

im pretty sure there going to get caught..

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Was CTS the driver???

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prolly

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lolololol it was prob cts, aba and durrrr.. how else would they have those rolls

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

There was a $13.6m raid on a Graff store in the UAE back in April:

http://www.ameinfo.com/116950.html

"All branded diamonds like Graff are certified diamonds and they also have lazor inscriptions in the girdle of every piece. But besides these trademarks Graff diamonds are exquisite solitaries and coloured diamonds, therefore, they can be easily distinguished, making it impossible to sell them in the UAE market.” He added that even if they are moved out of UAE, it will be a difficult task to sell them.
Experts also say that in the UAE, all diamonds can only be sold if there is an invoice, a law that is very important to protect the diamond trade."

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

It is a bit of a nonsense when they give the retail price to indicate the size of the raid. If the actual cost of the diamonds was $1 million but they would have sold for $10 million, then was it really a $10 million robbery? I wonder what figure the insurers will pay - the cost or the retail price?

Still, it's not as misleading as when a large shipment of, say, a tonne of cocaine is seized, and news reports give the estimated value as if it had been sold on the street by the gramme!

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

[ QUOTE ]
It is a bit of a nonsense when they give the retail price to indicate the size of the raid. If the actual cost of the diamonds was $1 million but they would have sold for $10 million, then was it really a $10 million robbery? I wonder what figure the insurers will pay - the cost or the retail price?

Still, it's not as misleading as when a large shipment of, say, a tonne of cocaine is seized, and news reports give the estimated value as if it had been sold on the street by the gramme!

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This is a good point and I'm surprised it hasn't crossed my mind before. You're right, both robberies and seizures are typically described as being of far greater value than they actually have. I'm sure if many retail goods sold at their declared retail value, the owners would be making an absolute killing.

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

Bit more info:

"Charles Hill, a former detective inspector with the Metropolitan Police, said the jewels are probably destined for the black market in Antwerp and Amsterdam where they could be broken down and sold as expensive scrap.


Graff is based in Bond Street in the West End and has branches in New York, Monte Carlo, Dubai, Kuwait and Moscow.


Boasting "the most fabulous jewels in the world", the company markets itself as one of the world's leading diamond companies.


It is not the first time the firm's London stores have been targeted.


The Sloane Street branch of Graff was raided in 2005 when armed robbers escaped with almost £1million in jewellery.


In 2002, a Balkan group known as the Pink Panther Gang masterminded a £23million heist at Graff's store in New Bond Street, Mayfair.


One thief was caught and jailed for 15 years and only £3million worth of the stolen jewellery has been recovered.


Chicago mobsters also stole nearly £1.5million worth of diamonds from the Graff Knightsbridge shop in 1980.


Joseph Scalise and Arthur Rachelgot escaped with the 26-carat Marlborough diamond, which was worth £400,000 at the time. They were caught in the United States and were extradited to the UK."

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

Info about the £23m raid on the same store in 2005:

" R v. Denic
--------------------
Christian Khan acted for Mr Nebojsa Denic, whowas convicted at the Old Bailey in July 2004 of conspiracy to rob Graff's in Mayfair, in May 2002.

Mr Denic was found guilty of taking part in the UK's largest ever robbery, the theft of £23m of jewellery in London's West End. £20m worth of jewels is still missing.

It was just the latest in a whole series of gem shop hold ups the same gang had pulled off across Europe and even in Japan.

The Graff conspiracy involved three key players, all originally from the former Yugoslavia.

Nebojsa Denic, 33, and Milan Jovetic, 24, were convicted at the Old Bailey but a third man, known as "Marco", who was the alleged mastermind, remains at large.

Two days after they visited the shop, posing as clients, Marco and Jovetic bought a second hand Piaggio scooter from a man in Isleworth, west London.

On 20 May Denic, dressed in a smart suit and carrying an umbrella, walked into Graff and was allowed through the security door into the salesroom containing the jewellery showcases.

Staff remembered how they tried not to stare at the ridiculously large black wig he was wearing.

"I thought he was a rock star or had a disease," one saleswoman told the trial.

Denic asked to look at a 12 carat diamond ring worth £300,000 but said: "It's too big. Do you have a smaller one?".

At this point Marco was allowed into the store. Denic then reached inside his jacket and produced a .357 Magnum revolver, shouting "Get down, get down" to the staff.

In the next three minutes Marco broke into two cabinets and bundled the jewels into a drawstring bag before running out with Denic.

But security guard Simon Stearman ran after them and as he grappled Denic to the ground the gun went off - the bullet rebounding off a wall and hitting a passer-by a glancing blow on the nose.

Marco got away with the jewels but the subsequent police investigation led to Jovetic's flat.

There they found a single blue diamond worth £500,000 in a tub of baby cream - it was Jovetic's share from the robbery.

Jovetic later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob Graff and to handling stolen goods. All charges against Stankovic were dropped. Of the 47 items taken from Graff only 10% have been recovered. Some stones were discovered at a New York jewel grading house, sent from Tel Aviv. The remaining £20m worth of jewels have disappeared.

Detective Inspector Andy Dunn from the Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad led the police investigation.

He told the BBC: "This was a targeted operation. London is one of the biggest jewellery centres in Europe. But it's just one of a series of crimes committed by various East European crime gangs across Europe and possibly further afield. In Europe it's endemic."

Sentencing, Judge Gerald Gordon said the men had played for "high stakes".

He told Denic: "To achieve your ends you took with you a fully functional and loaded Magnum .357.

"Not surprisingly, your use of it succeeded in subduing staff who were terrified and have been, in different ways, markedly and perhaps permanently affected by what you did."

Denic was sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to rob, six years for possessing a gun and seven years for using it to resist arrest - all to run concurrently.

'Remarkable courage'

Jovetic received a five-and-a-half year jail term for conspiracy to rob and three years for handling the ring, also to run concurrently.

The judge also recommended that Denic, who had arrived in the UK on a tourist visa, should be deported after completing his sentence.

Judge Gordon awarded £700 each from public funds to security guards Simon Stearman and Clinton Delo for their "remarkable courage" in aiding the arrest of Denic.

He also said £7,000 recovered from Jovetic's house should be shared between the two guards."

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

[ QUOTE ]
http://goldtoothgrill.com/nelly.jpg

rob the jewelry store and tell em make me a grill

[/ QUOTE ]

nh

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

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im pretty sure there going to get caught..

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Yeah, but
a) they gonna be the coolest dawgs in jail and
b) if they are any good, they don't have the diamonds anymore on them and therefore a nice sum waiting for them when they get out.

And BTW: those diamonds are only marked if they aren't blood diamonds, prolly. But no one in the western world would buy blood diamonds, aight?!?

Re: This is how you rob a store--in a Bentley
 

this gives me a whole new perspective on that "what do you do on the last day of your life question". this has to be an INSANSE rush.